NZC mulls scrapping Test for Chappell-Hadlee ODIs

New Zealand Cricket is in talks to scrap a home Test against Australia in February 2016 in favour of three Chappell-Hadlee ODIs. Australia are scheduled to play three Tests in New Zealand in February next year, before the World T20 in India, but NZC chief executive David White confirmed that the New Zealand board and Cricket Australia were discussing a draft proposal of a tour comprising two Tests and three ODIs.

According to White, the success at the World Cup - where the teams played each other in two games, including the final - and the possible revival of the Chappell-Hadlee ODI series made the suggestion of three ODIs a compelling one. White also factored New Zealand's tour of Australia in November, where the team is scheduled to play three Tests.

"It's an interesting debate. We want three-match Test series where possible and there's been a lot of valid discussion about that over the last week [after the drawn two-Test series in England]," White told stuff.co.nz.

"But on the back of the success of the cricket World Cup, and bearing in mind we would have played three Test matches in Australia [in November], it would be very appealing to have three Chappell-Hadlee ODIs in New Zealand."

White stated that Cricket Australia was "very receptive" to the idea.

Australia and New Zealand competed annually for the Chappell-Hadlee trophy between its inception in 2004-05 until 2009-10. Since then, however, the teams have played only two games for the trophy - in 2011 and 2015 - both during the World Cup.

The trophy was up for grabs during a league game between the two sides in Auckland earlier this year and the low-scoring thriller, which New Zealand won by one wicket, was one of the most memorable games of the tournament. The trophy was not on the table for the World Cup final in Melbourne, where Australia routed New Zealand by seven wickets to claim their fifth World Cup title.